Improvement in cartridges



-of New a chamber, c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HORACE SMITH `AND DANIEL B. -WESSON, OF NCLLWICH, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN CARTRIDGES.

Specification form-ing part ojfLettefrs Patent No. 11,496, dated August 8, 1854.

To all Iwhom it may concern y Be it known that we, HoeAoE SMITH and DANIEL B. WESSON, of Norwich,in the county London and State of' Connecticut, have invented a new or Improved Cartridge for Pistols, Rides, or other Fire-Arms; and we do hereby declare that the same is fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, letters, figures, and references thereof'.

Of' the said drawings, Figure 1 denotes an external view, and Fig. 2 a longitudinal section, ot' our improved cartridge.

-In Fig. 2, a represents the cylindrical case of' the cartridge, which may be made of thin plate-copper orany other suitable material. It is formed with a partition, b, across it and near to the. ball 1, which is to be fixed in one. end of' the cartridge., such partition forming between itself and the ball. Such chamber is to be filled with tallow or other equivalent. The powder is shown at e as placed in that part ofl the cartridge which is in rear of' the partition b. A metallic perforated disk orplate,f,is placed on the powder after it has been suitably filled into the cartridge, and between such disk (which, however, may be made of' any other material having a suitable degree ofindnration) and the closed 'end h of' the cartridge the percussion-pellet or primingg is placed, it being made to rest againstthe disk. The end h should either be made very thin and yielding, or of' some substance easily punctured by a blunt point or needle driven against it, and this for the purpose of causing priming to be inflamed either by the effect of' a smart blow given on such end of' the cartridge by thc cock of a gun, or by a blunt needle driven smartly through the end of the cartridge and against the priming while the latter is resting on the seat-piece or dskf.

The tallow used with a cartridge has been generally placed on the outside. of the ball, but never to our knowledge in a chamber within the cartridge.

Our improvement, therefore, and what we claim, is thc arranging of' the tallow within the cartridge and between the ball and charge of' powder, or in a chamber, c, suitably made in rear of the ball ot' the cartridge, whereby the necessary amount ot' tal low for a discharge is preserved with the charge in a convenient and compact form.

We are aware that in the construction of a cartridge it has been customary' to use in the same a metallic plate or disk carrying a capsule for containing the percussionpowder, and having the mouth of' such capsule opening directly against the gunpowder in l'ront'of' the said plate; we therefore do not claim such, but

What we do claim as our invention is- The employment,in the cartridge, of' the me.-

tallie or indurated disk or seat-plate, so that it shall rest directly on the powder, in combination with arranging the priming or percussionvpowder in rear of said disk, or on that side of' it opposite to thatwhch rests against the powder, our said arrangement ofl the disk and priming affording an excellent opportunity for applying the force ot' the blow b v which the priming is infiamed, such force being applied in the line ofthe axis of lhe cartridge.

In testimony whereof' we have hereto set our signatures this 10th day ofI May, A. D. 1853.

Home E SMITH. Q n.. sa DANIEL B. WESSON. lL. s] Witnesses:

C. 1). RioE, J omv D. PARKE. 

